Volunteers from the Auxiliary of Springfield Hospital Cente Inc. and other civic and church groups that work with the mentally ill at the center in Sykesville were honored at a lunch sponsored by the hospital.

James Macdonald, coordinator of volunteer projects for the state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, told the audience of volunteers and staff Wednesday that volunteers have made a tremendous difference to his own father, who lives in a veterans hospital.

"I want to thank you personally, for me," he said.

L He said volunteers make Springfield Hospital Center special.

"Springfield has a family feel," he said. "You feel like you're among people who are doing this because you really want to."

Paula A. Langmead, assistant superintendent of Springfield Hospital Center, said her child, a Carroll County middle school student, had received notice that each student must complete 75 hours of community service to graduate from high school.

"We've gotten to a very sad state of affairs," she said, when the value of community service must be fostered in this way.

"Our society has gotten away from the concept of service," she said, but added that "the good news" is that people noticed the ethic of service was dying and decided to do something about it.

"My hope is that the children . . . graduate from high school knowing half of what the people in this room know about service, and serving half as well."